


Astrum

by elderlemon



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alien Biology, Alien Cultural Differences, Alien Culture, Alien Sex, Aliens, Alternate Universe, Anal Sex, Angst, Bonding, Casual Sex, Character Death, Daddy Issues, Enthusiastic Consent, Gay, Hurt/Comfort, Invasion, Kinky, M/M, Multi, Oral Sex, Plot, Post-Apocalypse, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Queer Themes, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Space Battles, Space Opera, Violence, War, a very gay space opera basically, this is gonna be a 3 parter guys
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 10:55:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14134623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elderlemon/pseuds/elderlemon
Summary: 1000 years in the future, not a whole lot has changed. In the midst of a fascist regime, greed is the name of the game and Roxas and his team of freedom fighters are doing what they can for a better tomorrow. But when a curious, redheaded alien shows up, Roxas finds that in order to save his planet, he may have to leave it. And in the midst of a strange, intergalactic conflict, he finds out that things are much more complicated than he once thought, and helping Earth may be the least of his problems.





	1. Everyone Has an Existential Problem

**Author's Note:**

> Hey Friends ♡ This is part 1 of a 3 part fic anthology! I'm going to try and hold myself to a monthly chapter update but as a disclaimer, things happen in life and I can't 100% guarantee that. However, setting goals is something I need to get better at. :p
> 
> I'll try and add more tags as it becomes appropriate to do so and suggestions and constructive critique are always welcome! Akuroku is the main pairing but other couplings will make appearances. I'll be using most of the characters from the franchise (including some final fantasy characters) so I'm just... not gonna clogue the tags with them. It makes no sense to do that. Just assume everyone's gonna show up at least once. Will be eventual smutt but the world building is essential. So stay thirsty my friends. It'll be worth the wait.

 

 

**Chapter 1**

 

_Not everyone could float among the stars. Bathed in darkness, lights flickering and fading in and out of existence; he laid there, suspended in quiet space. With every breath, every thought; the universe expanded and the feathery touch of glittering stardust tickled his eyelashes. He was in complete solace. Complete control. There was no push and pull. No sadness or joy. Just pure existence._

Roxas would spend hours if he could, dreaming in his own inner universe. But the overly obnoxious alarm he'd set on his chip never failed to jolt him awake in a state of semi-panic. Bolting up in his cot, he felt icy breath shoot back into his lungs causing him to cough uncomfortably a few times. Unfortunately, he was a heavy sleeper so any 'pleasant' form of waking did quite the opposite of what it was intended to do. The blond was notorious for talking his way out of getting up while in a half asleep state. Apparently he was very well adept at tricking people into thinking he was actually conscious.

Grumbling incoherently, he pressed the small device on his wrist and sat up, mouth dry and hair an unruly mess.

' _Fitting for a “terrorist”._ ' he thought, wryly. Might as well give impressionable people the image they wanted. Too busy being manipulated to look up. But he was sure his comrades would appreciate some deodorant and clean breath. So he stood on unsteady legs and wandered from the tent towards the main compound, plush downy blanket around his shoulders and boots haphazardly slipped onto his feet.

Spring was never early here. They'd be lucky to get a week of mild weather before the 80 degree heat hit like a stale, brick wall. But in a way, the harsh winters were somehow refreshing. Everything was silent and frozen. And the frost that turned the mud to stone seemed to cleanse the rot the summer spawned. So when the first signs of the spring buds came to life on the trees, the world felt fresh and untainted.

The doors to the main compound opened with a swift, mechanical whir and he stepped inside. He loosened the blanket around him and yawned, wandering past the main communications hub.

 “Look at you. Didn't think I'd see the walking dead this early in the morning.” Olette pushed back from her tablet, a mug of steaming imported Kona in both, well-manicured hands.

 “Give me a sip and I'll be a little less dead.” Roxas replied, stopping in front of the brown haired woman, rubbing idly at the dark circles under his eyes.

 “Not a chance, Kid. Maybe if tonight goes well, I'll smuggle some extra sacks up.” she grinned wryly, though her green eyes were unable to hide her exhaustion either.

 The last supply run had been a disaster. One bad tip cost them 10 good people. And no one had been expecting that. It was routine. But that just meant things in the Upper Rings were becoming more precarious and they needed to be more cautious.

 Roxas was silent before placing a hand on her shoulder. “It's not your fault, you know.. they knew the risks..”

“No. I was careless. I should have seen the signs...read the intel more carefully...” The brunette started and then seemed to catch herself, almost visibly deflating. “...That doesn't matter right now. We have to do better today. And we will.” she replied, finally taking a sip. “The meeting starts in an hour. Make sure Hayner is here for it. I'm not having him take any unnecessary risks. He's probably way too fired up to be useful...” she muttered, swiveling back to where she'd been working.

 Roxas stood there silently for a moment, chewing on his lower lip as his body grew heavy. He wanted to say something, to argue but he knew it would fall on deaf ears. And he wasn't sure he could say anything with true conviction. It had only been two days since the botched run. And the entire base was feeling it. But as sobering as the situation was, Olette had a point. This next run was critical and if they made another mistake, those deaths would be for nothing. Roxas swallowed thickly and turned to meander down the hall. He wouldn't let that happen. Wouldn't give Seifer the satisfaction.

 

-0-

 

The day progressed and soon, noon turned to dusk; the hazy sunset reflecting dull, red rays off the snow covered compound. But in contrast to the calm, pastel sky, the base was bustling, gliders being prepped and cargo properly stored. Meanwhile, inside the main hub, Roxas sat quietly for the briefing, idly picking a scab on his arm. It took some convincing and some harsh criticism but he'd managed to convince Hayner to show up. Although at this point, bringing him along seemed like more of a liability issue than anything else.

“Wonder if he's gonna be there... fucking bastard.. he's probably cock sucking one of those diplomats right now... hope it was damn worth it...”

“If you keep mumbling shit like that, Tifa's going to bench you.” Roxas replied casually. Though he was absolutely thinking the same thing.

“I'm not going to do anything stupid. But if I see that shit eating, ass truffle I'm gonna kill him.” Hayner replied, aggressively biting down on the chewing gum in his mouth for emphasis.

Roxas let out an amused puff of air as he straightened up as the distinct sound of the doors resonated through the packed room. The conversation died down as Tifa made her way to the front of group, her usual inspired demeanor shrouded by a sullen disposition. It was an uncomfortable silence as she stood blankly for a moment, seemingly searching for words stuck in her throat. But finally, she shook her head, looking up at the others.

“Right. I'm not going to sugar coat this. We lost some good men and women.” she began, straightening up in an attempt to find more confidence. “But we have a chance to do right by their sacrifice. And that is _all_ that matters today.” Tifa held up her wrist, activating the small chip.

“Seifer compromised any connections we had to Hyperion. They won't be selling to us for a while.”

“Then why not raid their shipments? Bastards are selling to the Captiol too.” Hayner interjected, clearly agitated. “If they're going to drop us because of one lousy, dissenting, piece of shit what good are they?!”

“Hyperion has some of the most advanced tech besides Shinra, Hayner. If we completely sever ties, we might as well make our shot guns out of tin cans and rubber.” Olette replied, shooting Roxas a 'control your child' type of glare. Returning the look with a frustrated shrug, Roxas glowered back in annoyance. You have sex with a guy _once_ and all of a sudden you're their babysitter. Typical.

“Then we're just their bitch until they decide we're worth gil again? Fuck this! How does that honor Tidus or Selphie?! How does that honor _anyone?!”_ Hayner retorted, bristling up in defense.

 _“_ If we're sittin' ducks with no weaponry, honor don't mean shit.” Barret spoke up, voice booming over the others. “So shut your cheeky ass up and listen to your commanding officer.”

Again, the room was awkwardly quiet until Hayner, although quite begrudgingly, leaned back in silence, sinking into his seat like a teenager who'd just been told his gaming platform had been confiscated.

Tifa glared at the dusty blond before turning back to the hologram centered in front of the group. “While I'm aware of our limited options, this gives us an opportunity for an investment. The man you see here is Zexion Na'Zor. He's a scientist and businessman from the Trappist System. He specializes in advanced weaponry.”

“So we're trusting Alien's now? Bureaucratic Aliens?” Hayner flippantly sounded off. But this time, there was a collective, silent agreement not to indulge him. It was pretty satisfying to watch.

“We'll be meeting him at ANNEX in the lower ring. This is a covert operation. In and out with a trade deal.” Tifa finished and turned to look at Hayner, expression firm, daring him to make any more inflammatory comments.

“Dismissed.” recalling the hologram, she moved to tie her hair up, boots clacking with a swift turn of her heel.

“You're being a dick, man.” Roxas muttered, standing and adjusting his holster. It was exhausting enough to be unable to mourn without the added emotional outbursts from _certain_ people. “Are you going to be smart about this?”

“Tch.. I'm not going to compromise the mission. I'm not an idiot.” Hayner snapped, olive eyes staring intensely at a spot on the floor. “Fucking trusted him, Yanno...”

“We all did.” Roxas replied, the hair on his neck standing on end, ignited by tiny electrical sparks. “Look. No one's saying you _can't_ wreck him. Just not today. I promise, I'll leave his ass to you when it comes to that.” lips turned up in a small grin, he held out his palm in wait.

It wasn't long before Hayner let out a quiet chuckle and took Roxas' hand with a firm grip.

“I'll hold you to that.”

 

-0-

 

ANNEX wasn't the average, seedy under-croft expected in a red light district. And the average, seedy person wasn't the type of clientele on the list. Most cities had a relatively glitzy joint where the rich and the ruthless met up for sinister scheming, but this club was a jewel of the Capitol. The Master President probably came down here to pass money around to avoid a scandal or two. None that would ever have any repercussions considering the nature of being virtually untouchable. But that was the game. The big men payed off the smaller players to keep the little people in their place. It was easy to tell who was who. The bureaucrats and the politicians dressed in fancy get ups, showing off the latest trends. Apparently partial arm prosthetics were in at the moment. Hack off your forearm and replace it with some fancy bio-plaster, stitch it all back together and you were the bees knees at the spring cotillion. It was truly nauseating.

And then in a comically obvious split in the room, where the mercs and the 'Disciplinary Committies'. Hardly as fancy as the upper crust but at least they attempted to keep up appearances. Can't be making a deal with a gang leader who can't afford a precious metal lining on their eye-patch.

Trying to ignore the unpleasant thudding the bass caused in his circulatory system, Roxas stood by the bar, waiting for Tifa to spot their mark. There were a few Aliens around but none of them were apparently who they were waiting for. To be fair, they'd gotten here relatively early to scope the place out in case it all went sour. But at this point, if he was going to avoid any sort of migraine, the blond knew he was going to need a shot or two.

_Eyes up. Target in sight._

Perking up at the news, Roxas watched as a group of Aliens entered the club. There was no way any of them could pass as human. And that seemed to cause some unneeded tension in the club. With that change of energy, the blond took a moment to survey their other company. A few of the human gangs moved closer together, eyes locked on the new comers and the portly government officials became suspicious, eyes on their wallets and arms around their escorts.This covert meeting seemed to be less inconspicuous than he assumed. But Tifa didn't seem to be deterred in the slightest. In fact, she approached the rather tiny man at the front of the group with an interesting pep in her step. Following suit, Roxas met with Yuffie and stepped up beside their boss, exchanging some slightly suspicious glances.

“Mr. Na'Zor, I presume.”

“Such Formalities. Most humans just get right to the point.” The blue haired male chuckled, long, hare like ears twitching in amusement “Call me, Zexion. It really doesn't matter much at this point. We're to discuss commerce.” he replied, leading the group from the main floor to a private room.

“Kinda cute, isn't he?” Yuffie whispered to Roxas, who gave her an wry grin.

“Coming from me, a short guy, that might be considered insulting..” he replied quietly over the chip.

“You've got a good five inches on him.” she replied, earning a backhanded glare from Tifa as they entered the small room.

“Your companions are interesting, Tifa. Lively bunch. If you don't mind, I'd rather us hash out the particulars privately.” Zexion turned to his compatriots, motioning for them step away as well. Not sensing any hostility, Roxas looked to Tifa who nodded.

“We'll be fine. Just watch our backs. Didn't like the way a few of those creeps were watching us.” she murmured, sitting down in one of the plush chairs.

“Roger that.” Yuffie replied, wandering away straight to the bar. Probably wasn't the best idea but at this point, Roxas' eyeballs were starting to throb with an oncoming migraine. And he was sure a respectable businessman like Zexion wouldn't mind fronting some quality drinks for a few downtrodden freedom fighters.

Making himself as comfortable he could be leaning against a flashing neon counter top, he ordered a few shots, blue eyes scanning the dance floor for any interesting people. He wasn't sure how long Tifa was going to be and he would gladly take any opportunity to depersonalize and drift away. Downing the tequila, he turned back to Zexion's guys. Really big in contrast to their tiny boss. One guy had to be at least seven feet. Hopefully the gravity here wasn't too taxing. But from the way the dark haired brute of a man was sweating, that was probably, exactly the issue.

 _'Wonder what it's like with lower gravity'_ Although a good thousand years ago humans had been exploring the galaxy, it hadn't progressed much past Mars and a lucky few who were good enough to work on the space station. Humans always seemed to be more interested in besting and murdering each other than exploring the stars. What a pathetic existence they lived. Yet through a few nuclear blasts and a good 100 year war, they were still here. He wanted to find it impressive but with that comparison, it made humanity more similar to cockroaches than an esteemed, apex species. Even with first contact, no one important ever came here. There was apparently an intergalactic council with politics of it's own from what information the Alien Tycoons and drifters brought with them to Earth.

But Earth couldn't get it's own shit together. Not exactly a desirable candidate to bring into a distinguished council. And Roxas couldn't say that he blamed them. So the true question begged, why was he still here? There were plenty of pirates and drifters who'd take him out of orbit and out of the Sol System. Hell it was probably a decent upgrade from his current digs. But this life was familiar. This trash heap, although relatively sad, was his trash heap. And more than anything, if humans _had_ managed to get here, maybe they had a chance to float among the stars. And who was he to not reach out for that chance.

Roxas took his second shot and slumped further against the bar. For a moment he'd been so lost in his existential crisis, he hadn't noticed that another relatively tall Alien had taken up a spot to his left. And then he got that feeling. The tingling. The small electric currents that made the peach fuzz on his body perk and the crown of his head tingle. So naturally, if his body was having some bioeletric malfunction, he wanted to get a look at the responsible party. And said party was about six foot seven, with a pair of impressive umber horns nestled in a wild mane of feather like red hair. And shit faced. Absolutely shit faced.


	2. The First

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter the charming redhead who may or not be a seasoned soldier. But he sure as hell drinks like one. Axel's probably a lot smarter than he seems but whether or not this alien is a true ally remains to be seen. All Roxas can do is pray he'll live for a second "date".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't planning on updating this today but somehow I ended up doing that. I'm not going to have a regular update schedule but the goal is at LEAST once every two months. This is more of a passion project than anything so my passion comes first. And I'd like to not burn it out. Haha. Thank you for the kind comments and the kudos guys. I truly appreciate it and hope you enjoy the continuation. Cheers.

**Chapter 2**

 

“Look… Look, friend. I just need another pint. Last one and I’m out of your hair… it’s hair right? Humans have hair..” The towering, redheaded alien slurred his speech, attempting to pull off sober. But sober seemed to have been a state he’d left behind at _least_ four drinks ago. Roxas knew that game all too well. He’d been on both sides more often than he’d have liked to admit.

“Buddy. I like paying customers just as much as the next gal working her shift. But I’ve had bigger guys than you cause me problems when you’re over watered. You’re done.” The woman replied, patience obviously thin as she turned away from the now scowling and swaying alien.

“Oh. _Oh._ I know what this is. Human hospitality yeah? Don’t like my horns…? Got a problem with non-humes?” he yelled out, less intimidated than he probably intended to appear.

Roxas watched with intrigue as he set his own shot glass back down on the expensive looking counter. Staring longer than he probably should have, he visibly winced when the inebriated alien turned his way. The hair on his neck prickled uncomfortably and he quickly averted his gaze down to his boots. Shit.

“Oi. Can you believe that, man? Apparently my money’s not good enough here...” The larger man sat down with a heavy thud, causing part of the stool to bend under the force.

“Mm. Real shame. Sorry.” Roxas replied lamely, trying not to engage. Inconspicuous. That was the objective. Conversing with a loud, drunk and flashy horned guy seemed like quite the opposite of that. The blond looked around for Yuffie, trying desperately to catch her eye but as usual, she was flirting with bartender for free drinks. And said bartender wanted nothing to do with Roxas’ current company.

“Yeah. Yeah it is. Yanno… I’m a damn colored vet on my planet. Think that would mean something here. You humes love your guns n shit.”

That comment made Roxas bristle and against his better judgment he turned to the redhead with a sharp glare, ready to tell him to piss off. But when he met with those green eyes, confidence faltered and he suddenly felt vulnerable. The way this guy was looking him over made him squirm. Like some sort of hawk ogling it’s dinner.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, trying not to seem intimidated. This asshole was just trying to get him to spot him a drink. And Roxas wasn’t going to give in that easily.

“Look man. I don’t want any trouble. I’m here on business.”

 

The redhead laughed, the sound rumbling deep in his throat as he leaned closer to the smaller human. “Everyone’s here on business. And everyone here is in trouble. Or causing it. So.. buy me a drink. I’m not picky. Don’t need anything fancy.” he purred, making Roxas stomach drop. This prick sure knew how to make someone uncomfortable. Probably did it professionally.

Growling in annoyance, Roxas pushed away from the bar. “Fuck off.”

Tuning out whatever the redhead might have been saying or swearing at his back, he briskly made his way into one of the many vestibules. Shutting the door behind him, he deflated, visibly and audibly. It had been a long time since some random asshole shook him up like that. The worst part about the encounter was the feeling those eyes gave him. It wasn’t predatory in the sense of… being devoured. But the sense that he saw into him. He’d only had a few other encounters like that in his life. To feel entirely stripped of all defenses, all too aware of his body and his existence was unnatural and mostly welcomed. And he never got used to it.

Ever since childhood, it would happen and at first, Roxas in all of his innocence assumed _everyone_ had experiences like that. Not just with people but with dreams, with music or simply staring up into the sky. It was like a connection. Feeling one and right and whole. It was like this energy surrounding him, inside him; woke up in excitement. It made every neuron in his body fire and sometimes, it moved him to tears.

But as he grew, he knew, just intuitively, that his experiences weren’t really the run of the mill, bodily sensations. At least for a majority. Much of the widely accessible, neurological research had been wiped from the Network back when the wars first made the grids go black. And that was a good thousand years ago. Anything at all Roxas understood of the human nervous system was from books, salvaged and stored away. Knowledge was gate kept by the rich, for the rich and anyone who would serve the Capitol Regime.

 

There had been a time, when after the first war, humanity flourished. Times were hard and the earth had been decimated. But because of this, there was strange harmony and peace. People were separated by continents again, and technology had been laid to waste. To rebuild, children became the pillars of society and for a time, those in charge of the world vowed to create a place where history would not repeat itself. And for a long while, it worked.

From what Roxas read, the next 500 years were considered an age of enlightenment. Humanity rebuilt it’s society and technology from the bones of the civilization before it. But where it all went wrong… that was convoluted. There were gaps in the collective knowledge. Gaps that the Capitol had tight in it’s grasp. From then on, any published and accepted history was strictly approved and doctored. The only truth that mattered was the one that was dictated to them.

And that was why he was here with Tifa, negotiating weapons with an alien. Running a hand through fluffy, messy locks, Roxas straightened up, regaining his composure. Right. All he had to do was get back in and avoid Mr. “I’m a colored war vet”. No sweat.

Reentering the main club, he immediately noticed they had some new company. And it was the worst kind. A few Capitol platoons had entered, rowdy and drunk. But with their sigils on their body armor, no one would say anything. Eyes down, Roxas took a slow, calming breath and stepped forward. At this point, scuffling back to Yuffie would probably look odd. And now that the capitol dogs were here, any sort of confrontation could be lethal. They weren’t in a position to hold a fight. Especially not in Capitol territory.

 

Slinking sullenly back to his previous spot at the bar, Roxas rolled his eyes at that familiar chuckle. Didn’t even know this guy’s name and his voice was already distinctly categorized in his subconscious.

“Seems like my charm precedes me.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.” Roxas replied dryly, calling the bartender over. “Two water moccasins. Please.” He added, giving the bartender his most charming smile. She was clearly the wiser but probably in no mood to deal with both the Capitol platoons _and_ a skeevy horned alien. Making quick work of the shots, she idly dropped them off and without another glance, walked to the far side of the circular bar.

Pushing one of the drinks towards the redhead, Roxas downed his shot, making a sour face. He wasn’t a fan of whiskey but it would serve to calm his nerves.

“Well I managed to coerce a drink out of you.” the taller male replied, following suit, downing the liquor with ease.

“It’s not my job to babysit alcoholics. Especially obnoxious ones.” Roxas retorted, looking over to the room where Tifa and Zexion remained. What was taking so long? Tifa had made it seem like she had this in the bag going in.

 

“It’s Axel.”

“What?”

“My name. Don’t look so distracted. Looks suspicious.” Axel muttered with a sly grin, pointed ears twitching. Roxas frowned at that, now meeting the redhead’s eyes without hesitation. What was this guy playing at? Was he one of Zexion’s men?

“Don’t see how me being distracted is any of your concern.”

“It’s not. But it might be someone elses’.” Axel replied. And as if on cue, one of the ranking officers approached them looking much too ominous for Roxas’ liking.

“I’m going to need your ID and a chip scan.” The man ordered, glaring down at Roxas and quite surprisingly, Axel as well.

“Tch. You humes really _don’t_ like off worlders huh? First this one won’t give me a drink and now you’re heckling me for ID. I can’t be in the city without a legit pass, mate. So how am I even here?” Axel slurred, trying to reason with their interrogator.

“You’re chips weren’t registering when I scanned for them. If it’s in error, I’ll know after I re-scan. I won’t ask again.”

 

Roxas stayed silent, watching as the redhead continued to try and weasel his way out of this. Now he wasn’t sure who Axel was or what he was doing here. But the guy was intentionally buying them time. Flashing a glance to Yuffie, the blond slowly moved his hand to his holster as his partner wandered from the bar to where the meeting was taking place. If it wasn’t done, they were going to have to end it prematurely.

“You people scan us when we aren’t aware? Well that’s sick. How do I know you’re not just looking for some alien ass to lock up for the night? Just trying to get your quota, huh?”

“Well I am now. Turn around and get down on the ground.” the officer made a move to his gun, hand barely glossing the grip when Axel stood quickly, with all his drunken six foot seven glory.

It was one of those moments when time slowed and you get the feeling in your gut like you’ve missed a step on a staircase; standing there stupidly and failing to react when you know a scene of pure hell is about to unleash.

The deafening sound of knuckle on bone echoed over the thudding bass and the officer was on the ground, mouth a bloody mess. And like any good group of trained combatants, his comrades had their guns drawn, reacting to the large, horned alien who was the sudden source of unwarranted violence. Maybe it was cowardly, but self preservation instincts told him that bullets and lasers were about to start flying. “Tifa we need to get out of here!” he called through his chip as he jumped behind the bar.

 

“ _Dammit, Roxas. What did you do?!”_

“Jack Shit! Was this redhead SOB.” Roxas secured his handgun as he kept himself shielded.

“ _Right. Meet at the rendezvous point by the gate as soon as you can. Don’t die.”_

Roxas groaned, releasing the safety as he looked around the room for possible escapes. All bets were off on doors and reinforcements were probably on their way to shut this down. He was about to stand when one of the soldiers went flying over the bar, followed by the source of the cacophony.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Roxas snapped, watching as the redhead took refuge a few feet away, grabbing a bottle and taking a long, few swigs.

“Ahh. Drinking.”

“That’s not what I meant!” Roxas said again, angry at the situation but slightly impressed at how Axel managed to treat this like a joke.

“Does it matter at this point? You and I need an exit. I can get us one.” he replied, idly shaking some blood and flesh off of a sharp, silver disk. The gunfire had stopped for the moment and the foul, copper smell of death hung in the air.

“COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP. DROP YOUR WEAPONS AND COME OUT SLOWLY.”

 

“You’ve started a shootout with government soldiers. You’re like a tornado. Not very trustworthy.” Roxas replied, voice in a strained whisper.

“Call it payment for the drink.” Axel replied, looking around with surprising awareness and precision. Maybe he really was some sort of Veteran. “Okay. I’ll cover you. Break for the kitchen doors when I say. I’ll follow.”

“COME OUT NOW. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING.”

“Are you kidding me?” Roxas looked panicked.

“I am completely serious.” Axel replied, reaching for a holster on his thigh. “Run fast.” He smirked, index finger ghosting the trigger as he stood, relinquishing any cover the bar counter had given him.


	3. Chasing Tail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axel is right most of the time. At least that's what he preaches. And even if Roxas is thankful for the assist there's definitely something fishy about the situation. And it's not the trash compactor.

Chapter 3

 

While he didn’t trust his current, flashy, redhead compatriot, Roxas knew the alternative option in his present situation was less than wise. Besides, this alien seemed to enjoy the attention he was getting and if he wanted a solo shootout, the blond was more than happy to oblige. Without missing a beat, he stood, launching himself over the back side of the bar, breaking for the kitchen doors. ANNEX was a boujee joint and without a proper food prep station, their well-to-do patrons wouldn’t get their edible gold finger snacks. Slamming through the double doors, he clumsily smacked into a few cooling racks, swearing loudly as he attempted to regain his speed and composure.

“Tifa! Do you read?” he called into his chip as he tore through the kitchen towards the back exit. Of course there was no response and at this point, what was she going to tell him that would help in this situation? He had to get to the lower level of the building and make a break for the east tunnels. But with the riot that trigger happy asshole whipped up, the surrounding area was bound to be swarming with Capitol defense forces. So to say this would be a challenge was a gross understatement.

Stopping short of the doors leading into a back of house hallway, Roxas pressed himself against the wall, readying his pistol in an attempt to catch his breath. If he could get to a window, he’d be able to scale down or worst case scenario, jump for it. The club was only a few stories high and with the right maneuvers, he could probably make it with a few broken bones. Looking down at his chip one last time, Roxas took a deep breath and long exhale. But as he was about to make another break, he could hear the sounds of someone bulldozing their way through the kitchen.

In an instant, Axel had bashed the door to the hallway off it's hinges, green eyes wild and excited as he spotted the blond human.  
“You’re not dead! Good!”

“No thanks to you.” Roxas hissed, peering around the corner. “You’re like a hurricane.”

“I’m still not entirely familiar with your Hume terms, but I’ll take it as a compliment.” Reloading his gun, the readhead moved around the corner without hesitation, firey, feathery mane falling around his shoulders. Being left behind caused Roxas’ anxiety to spike and he followed, footfalls still unsteady and unsure as he tried to keep up with Axel’s long strides.

“You do that.” He muttered. Albeit grouchy, he was happy he didn’t have to navigate this alone. Even though, the alien was the one who started the rabble. “I’m assuming you have a way out of this mess?”

“Sort of.”

“The hell do you mean _sort of_?!”

“Got a way. Don’t know if it’ll get us out though. But that’s the fun bit?” the larger male flashed a pair of pointy fangs as he stopped at the end of the hall, peering around the corner. “Gotta go up to go down.” he raised his pistol to the ceiling, shooting down one of the vent covers, which clanged noisily to the ground.

Roxas winced, breath catching in his chest as he heard the voices of their pursuers become alerted to their presence.

“And you can’t be fucking quiet about it?! Boost me up asshole.” he growled, motioning towards the redhead in a tyrannical fashion. Without question, thankfully, the horned alien easily pushed him upwards and into the vent before jumping up and catching the ledge. Being that big, maybe it wasn’t entirely his fault he was such an oaf. Or maybe it was the liquor.

“Go left and then make a right.” Axel instructed, following behind the blond in the cramped space. “It’s gonna lead to another vent. Kick it out and drop down.”

Squinting as sweat dribbled down into his vision, Roxas followed the instructions, wondering how long Axel would have had to have been snooping around here to map this place out. ANNEX was huge and had enough nooks and crannies for all the shady business in the capitol. If they made it out alive, he was absolutely going to press the issue because this outsider, this alien, seemed suspiciously in the know. Too familiar with humans considering most off world beings thought they were too damn good for earth.

When they reached the vent, he kicked it out as hard as he could, denting the cheap metal before it fell to the ground with another loud clang. All the while he could hear the shouting just yards away. He was shocked they weren’t being shot at through the vents. Probably didn’t want to damage the property more than they already had. Setizer was a big political player and the capitol would face some financial wrath if they got on his bad side for ruining his precious property. In a way, it made the damage Axel was causing to the club a little more enjoyable. But only a little.

“Now where?” Roxas called as he dropped down into a large laundry cart.

“Trash shoot! To your left!”

“It goes into a fucking compactor! No way!” the blond readied his gun, jumping from the cart before pushing the large hunk of metal in front of the double doors. That was absolutely not how he wanted to go. Being crushed alive in a trash heap.

“You keep questioning me and you’re still alive. Are all humans this stupid?” Axel called as he came out from the vent with a little more difficulty due to his large stature. “I’ve led you this far. My life is on the line too.” He replied. This time, however, there was no joke and no snide remark, his face dark with concentration. “I don’t plan on dying today.”

As the sound of shields bashing into the door echoed in the background, Roxas simply nodded, lacking a response. The guy had quite a point there. Allowing Axel to lead the way, he followed once again, stooping low as they entered the shoot.

“There’s an emergency hatch. Gotta get there before they shut that fail safe off.” He grumbled, taking off down the long drop, leaving Roxas waiting at the edge.

As much as Roxas hated to admit it, without Axel next to him at that moment he felt quite vulnerable. Like a deer in the headlights. So with a deep breath, he took the plunge. The shaft was vertical and his stomach lurched up into his heart as he rocketed down into a large pile of fruit peelings and other bio-matter of some sort. He would have started gagging if he wasn’t presently focused on surviving. Blood? Gore? Sure. But vomit, human excrement and the strong scent of rotting whatever. Absolutely not. Had to draw the line somewhere.

Thankfully, Axel already had the rusty, metal escape door pried open and he didn’t have much time to think as the lights in the large compactor started to go red.  
“Hurry up!” Axel called, practically herding the blond into the dark tunnel out of the chamber.

And once again, through another tight passage, they crawled. But this time, it was to the stale city air and the setting sun. Breathing into his nose a deep sigh of relief, Roxas hopped down from the exit. And there to his right, were the east tunnels. But before he could say much of anything, Axel had already holstered his gun and was browsing through what looked looked like a tiny hologram that projected straight from the skin on his wrist.

“Not that it hasn’t been fun, Roxas, but I’ve got places to be and people to hassle. I assume you can make it from here just fine on your own?” He smirked, pulling his hand down and with it the holographic scroll of text.

“You would be right to assume that.” the smaller male replied with a slight grin.

“I know. I’ve been right all day.” Axel mused before sauntering casually out and away from the alley.

As his heart rate slowed, Roxas looked down at his chip, activating the communication once more.

“Tifa. Do you read?”

“Thank God! You’re alive. We’re waiting outside the wall.”

“Roger that.” Not wanting to push his luck anymore today, he took off across the street and into the large tunnel with Axel still on his mind. He absolutely knew there was something more to the redhead. Whether he was here on a recon mission or something far more important, he wasn’t just some alien drifter bum or low life. Call it gut instinct but his gut was never wrong. And he had a feeling that this wouldn’t be the last time they’d cross paths. For better or for worse.

x0x

Never was he so happy to have clean, warm water to bathe in. The resistance didn’t have much but even the basics were truly something to relish when you were a rat running from the storm. At least that’s what he felt like lately. Their cause spent more time getting their asses handed to them than making any sort of meaningful change. And that was indeed, a depressing and sobering thought.

And although he knew it was the right thing to be doing, Roxas often found himself wishing he could sleep and join the stars. If this all meant nothing, why was he still here? His friends were going to die.. they were all going to die. Hayner. Pence and Olette.

Just like Ventus. And Mom.

Sinking into the warm, clean water, Roxas felt the waves of guilt and loneliness hit him again. Why was he still here? Why him? Ven was the fearless one. The one who could rally people to their feet and push them to their true potential. He was a light in the darkness. A beacon. One that was snuffed out too early. But what had started off as a revenge campaign was now losing steam and Roxas didn’t know how much longer he could reasonably hold on for. He was so damn tired.

“Look at you! Renegade of the hour!” Hayner’s voice echoed off the walls as he slipped into the communal bath, a towel lavishly wrapped around his dusty blond hair. “I wish I could have been there watching you flounder around in the trash.” he teased, pushing at Roxas’ shoulder, instantly receiving playful retaliation for the jest.

“Yeah you would have _loved_ that. Sick bastard.”

“Got to be sick to be in this line of work.” Hayner replied with a shrug. “I’m just glad we fucked that club up and got us some fancy alien tech.”

“Yeah. I don’t think I could have handled another loss.” Roxas admitted quietly, expression falling somber once again.

Hayner’s eyes grew soft at that and he looked down at the water.

“It’s not a loss. Everyone we’ve lost… it means something. It means we’re one step closer to making things right.”

Although he was one of the biggest assholes of them all, Hayner had his moments of true, sage wisdom. Even if Roxas couldn’t bring himself to entirely believe it, the sentiment lit a fire in his belly. Even if the sun exploded and the Universe would eventually go black; even if after everything there was just nothingness, he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself for being complacent. If he had one shot, he was going to shoot to the moon and then to the stars.

“You’re right.” he replied, the corners of his lips turned up in a half smile.

“Damn right I am. Remember our promise. To the bitter end!” Hayner replied, hand raised and waiting.  
“To the bitter end.” Roxas laughed, clasping their palms together, grip strong and sure.

“You know. This would be much better with some pints. I’m all for sentiment but I’m too tired and too sober right now.” Hayner complained, regaining his natural state of piss and bitch. But despite all of his moaning, he had a strong heart and sometimes Roxas felt like his best friend believed more than anyone that they could succeed. A true mascot of hope. “And I want to hear about this Axel guy.”

“Ugh. I’ll definitely need a drink for that.” Roxas muttered, sinking lower into the water. “But one thing’s for sure; he’s up to something. We need to keep an eye on him. I don’t know what part he’s going to play in all this, but there was a reason he was at the club the same time we were.”

“You think?”

“I absolutely know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know that feeling when you forget to indent your paragraphs and then you just want to explode? Ahaaa sorry this is so late. Two months. A lot has happened in that time and my writing and art took the back seat. But now I'm kind of back? I never know what life is going to hit me in the face with next and generally it's wise to assume peace is never a permanent state of being. But I will try and be more regular about this because you guys seem to like it and it's really motivating and validating <3 So please enjoy this chapter! If you don't welp I'm sorry and godspeed lol


	4. Only Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Once Roxas tracks down his redheaded savior, he finds out that Axel is really just an angel of death.

**Chapter 4**

The stars were veiled under a thick, listless haze and any breath he attempted to muster caught in his throat, leaving him gasping. It felt as if the very air he inhaled, turned to ash in his lungs, choking him, leaving a fire burning in his throat. It was a feeling he would never forget. One that left the taste of rage on his tongue and agony in his soul. His very being ached as he pushed himself up from the wreckage. Everything was blackened by soot and his Roxas’ ears rang, the familiar high pitched tone causing him to sway. But through all of the debris, a good few yards in front of him, there was a soft light.

Trying to stable himself, the blond attempted to lift his feet, quite aware that he had little time to waste. He pushed forward, fighting against an unseeable force as he ran. Though no matter how hard he tried, itfelt like he was trudging through thick tar and with each step, his mind seemed to forget how to properly move. He could barely muster the strength to lift his legs. All the while, his arms outstretched, Roxas ran towards the light, fighting with all his might to reach it. But his body was held by invisible shackles and his screams were silent, unable to form sound no matter how wide he opened his mouth.

At this point, Roxas was aware of his dreaming state. But unlike most nights, he was unable to take control or to at least rouse himself. This particular dream would not relent. It was cruel as it kept him locked in a false body, unable to do anything but allow it to play out until it’s inevitable end. So he ran, still unable to gain any momentum and still unable to reach his goal. A memory could not be changed or altered. It was his burden to bear.

Submitting for a moment, the blond dropped down to his knees, knowing the more he fought, the longer he’d have to endure the unbearable anguish of watching his mother take her last breath. There was no remedy and no reprieve as it dogged him in his waking moments; silently playing on repeat in his subconscious. He couldn’t stop it. Her light was fading. He couldn’t save her. Or Ventus.

He couldn't save anyone.

_After all these years, you still torment yourself._

Jolting a bit at the sound of her familiar voice, Roxas instantly felt the air rush back into his lungs and the invisible force holding him down relinquish. Well. That was certainly new. For as long as he’d had this dream, nothing had changed about it. But all the same, the blond looked up to that warm, welcoming smile she’d always had.

_Do you remember what I told you?_

Not entirely convinced he was still dreaming, Roxas shook his head, his heart pounding and eyes itching with the threat of tears. Not that he could cry in his current state. But the sadness was still there, more intense than when he was awake.

_No matter what happens, I’ll be watching over you._

“Then why haven’t you come back to me before now?!” Roxas cried, finding the will and strength in his body to stand on shaky limbs.

Her expression faltered a bit but it was quickly replaced with one of understanding. Pushing her pale blonde hair behind her ear, she stepped forward, the warmth of her finger tips caressing his cheek.

_There is so much I have to tell you. But I’ve always been here. And I will always be here._

Finding it difficult to be angry with the feeling of his mother’s touch, Roxas swallowed the lump in his throat and leaned into the light and the warmth. But as all good things did, the dream came to an end and moments later, he felt the weight of his body and the light from the sun, shining into the compound. Burrowing into the blankets, he shuddered, trying to ignore the bright, unforgiving star in the sky. Roxas was no stranger to odd dreams. But there was something about seeing and talking to his mother that felt so inexplicably real. And it left him tired.

Physically, mentally and emotionally.

He turned his back from the window, pulling his comforter over his head as the events of the previous day returned to the forefront of his mind. The memory ofthat flaming red hair and that cheeky, shit eating grin caused him to shiver and grow warm. It wasn’t like he’d never found the earth dwelling aliens attractive. In fact there were quite a few non-human interactions he’d never likely forget. But none of them ever _annoyed_ him.

Pressing his legs together, Roxas huffed, willing himself to ignore his current arousal as he sat up. The entire thing was infuriating the more he thought about it. He probably looked like a stupid, helpless, fearful human. Exactly what Axel seemed to be keen on reminding him about throughout their escape. As far as incompetence went, the blond wasn’t a poor fighter. He was a damn good skirmisher and he’d been through more intense situations than that. There was no reason for him to have been so thrown off his game yet the minute that giant horned fucker brushed into him at the bar, something went amiss.

He wanted to chalk it up to Seifer’s betrayal. It was still a fresh wound and everyone had been on edge going into the capitol. Failure was unacceptable. But still, Roxas hadn’t remembered feeling as skittish and flighty as he had been in ANNEX. Call it a disturbance in the force or an unexpected energy shift but the minute he felt the hair on his neck stand on end, he’d completely lost his resolve. Either Axel had deliberately done something to his physiology or there was some strange, pseudosciencey explanation for the weird, internal cosmic shift he’d felt.

Judging by how genuinely plastered the man had been, Roxas truly doubted there had been any malicious bio tampering. So it probably was just something about the guy that set his nerve endings on fire. Swallowing through the dryness in his mouth, he shifted again with an exasperated whimper when the fabric of his sweat pants rubbedagaisnt his erection.

“Fucking asshole...” he was absolutely not going to jerk off to Axel. So in an act of defiance, he reached for his chip and secured it to his wrist. He didn’t want to waste water, but a quick dip in the unheated baths would probably be enough to solve his current predicament. Strangely enough, he hadn't heard the tiny electronic blip of his chip activating. Inspecting it further, Roxas realized that the network was down. Not a good sign.

Now that he was more aware, it became apparent that the entire complex was down. Their compound was solar powered which meant something had gone amiss in the internal wiring. Still, that didn’t explain the chip’s malfunction. It worked on the satellite networks through untraceable proxy settings. So if they couldn’t use their chips, neither could the Capitol. That meant that whatever was transpiring had nothing to do with their adversary.

Arousal replaced with a foreboding feeling in his gut, Roxas quickly dressed and headed out of his room into the hall. Upon turning a corner, he almost smacked dead into Pence, causing the portly brunette to yelp.

“Ah! Jeez you scared me. I was just coming to wake you up. Figures without the chip’s alarm you’d be the last one awake.” He teased, joining Roxas on his walk towards the computer room.

“It’s like a mini brain vacation. You guys don’t know what you’re missing.” Roxas chided.

“You should tell that to Olette… she hasn’t slept in 24 hours. She’s been monitoring this weird frequency from outside Earth’s orbit. The power and chip network went down at 2am last night. She told me she had been getting ready for bed-”

“A likely story.”

“Heh. Yeah. That’s what I said. But apparently just when that happened, the signal started giving off these weird vibrations. She thinks that’s what caused the outage.”

Roxas frowned as they pushed through the large doors where a good group had gathered around Olette and her equipment.

 “You don’t think it’s a solar flare?”

“No. Flares don’t give off sophisticated patterns. And we would have known about any incoming flares a while in advance. This signal just popped up a few days ago…almost out of nowhere.” Olette replied, giving Tifa a worried glance. “It’s some sort of tech… Obviously not from the Capitol.”

Tifa’s brow furrowed as she looked at the strange readings. “Could it be from another country? Maybe they launched something.”

“Why the hell would they get involved now? It’s been 20 years, Tifa. The United Northern American Republic doesn’t exist anymore. We’ve got no external trade and we made a mockery of our diplomatic relations.” Hayner replied, taking up his usual pessimistic mantel.

Unfortunately, Roxas felt the need to agree with him. The Capitol had cut them off from every angle. And if anyone had wanted to aid them, they would have done so by now. Somehow, he had a strange feeling that he’d need to hunt down a certain redheaded creature for answers. “I regrettably have to agree with Hayner on this one.” He nudged himself closer to the computer, watching the radar screen for a moment.

Olette nodded, moving to nervously play at the ends of her tousled hair. “It’s too far out of orbit to have been launched from Earth’s surface. And of all the alien probes we’ve seen post-first contact haven’t been anything like this. Considering we have a variety of alien’s already here, I don’t see why any other advanced civilization would need to probe us if they wanted information.”

“So then what do you suggest?” Tifa asked, arms crossed.

“This power outage was caused by the surge of energy this thing was giving out. We’re lucky we have a backup generator. It’s weaker now so we can at least get to work on getting the panels up and running again. As far as figuring it out, the Capitol has better tech than we do. They’re probably trying to figure this out too.” Olette shrugged.

“So we need to head over there and piggyback off whatever they’ve figured out.” Hayner turned to Roxas. “You up for another adventure?”

“You just want to see me get into deep shit again.” Roxas retorted, a small smile gracing his lips.

Tying up her long black hair, Tifa turned to the small gathering. “Olette. You and Pence coordinate the reboot efforts. I can help get things started down at the panels with Barret. Roxas. Hayner. You’re going to need a few more people on your squad. I’m not leaving you two alone.” She instructed.

“Yes Mum.” Hayner retorted, removing his jacket from around his waist. “You’d miss us too much if something happened.”

“I’d miss one of you.” Tifa replied with a wry grin. “Go snag Yuffie and Paine. They’ll be your babysitters for the day. Dismissed.”

 

\- 0 -

 

With the network almost entirely disabled, getting through the Capitol wall was hardy an affair at all. The smugglers and transients were probably having field day. But to be fair, anyone who was in the know was probably vastly more concerned with the strange alien tech chilling out near the moon. Their best chance of gaining any insight on the manner was the observatory near the old planetarium. But there was still a chance that they wouldn’t find any more information than they’d already gotten from Olette. The woman was a prodigy who’d defected from Capitol intelligence after all. Knowing that, Roxas still had this feeling that Axel had something to do with it. Though he wasn’t sure he’d be able to justify splitting off from the group on a hunch.

Stopping in front of the eastern observatory pathway, the group took a few moments to break and ready themselves for the stealth mission. Ideally, nightfall was the prime time to break into a facility like the observatory. It was heavily guarded and the cloak of darkness gave them a clear advantage. But the longer they waited, the more likely it was that Capitol security and defense would restored.

“Paine and I are the shortest and the quietest. We’ll scale up the cliff side of the building and enter through one of the maintenance shafts.” Yuffie instructed, pulling out the map Olette had stashed away. “You and Hayner can cover us from the outside. Shouldn’t take more than fifteen minutes.”

“Can you boys handle that?” Paine asked, voice cold as she cocked her brow, adjusting the pack on her shoulder.

“Don’t look at me. Hayner’s the loud one.” Roxas chuckled, earning a swift swipe from his sandy haired friend. “Come on. We don’t have much time.” 

“Let’s get it done then.” Paine replied, leading the group up the slightly overgrown path. There were a few unkempt plaques and benches covered in snow and withered vine from when the place had been civilian friendly. The entire Capitol had once been a place of Historical splendor. They’d still had some relics from the time the country was called the United States. But now they’d either been destroyed or locked away. The past was best forgotten if you wanted to be one dictating the future.

Silently setting up at their destination, Hayner began to put his rifle together, attaching the scope with nimble fingers. For a loud mouth, he really was a good silent shot.

“Alright. We’re headed in. If we’re not back in 20 minutes, there’s a problem.” Yuffie stated, making sure their climbing equipment was sturdy.

“And if we’re back in less than ten, we already know more than the Capitol does.” Paine replied, taking a powerful leap up, gripping at the stone architecture as she began her ascent up the building. It only took the girls a few moments to reach the maintenance shaft and once they were gone, Roxas settled quietly into his own thoughts.

“You wanna meet up with that Alien guy again.” Hayner murmured matter of factly as he idly surveyed the landscape through his scope. This caused Roxas to prickle, defenses up.

“Why would you say that?” he growled, quite perturbed Hayner would pick now to do this to him.

“The entire time we were wandering through the pub district you were looking around like you’d lost your puppy.” Hayner replied. “Dude if he’s hot, by all means. I don’t judge.”

“Tch! that’s not… Uhg. I just think he has something to do with what’s happening. He show’s up out of nowhere and then all this crazy shit starts happening.”

“It’s a big city man. He’s probably been here for a while.”

“He’s a six foot seven, redheaded, horned giant, Hayner. He sticks out. We come here enough that I feel like I would have seen him before.” Roxas replied, becoming increasingly irritated at the insinuation that he was just looking for Alien dick. Because he wasn’t.

Pulling back from his sniper, the taller blond gave Roxas an unconvinced look. “Okay. So then after we finish this, feel free to hunt him down.”

“I will.”

“But you have to tell me what his cock looks like. Oh..what if he doesn’t have one? Could be tentacles.”

“I hate you so much.”

 

\- 0 -

 

As he previously suspected, they gained no new information on the situation. In all honesty, Roxas was just relieved they hadn’t gotten into another shooting match. Once they reached the pub district, he excused himself as Hayner flashed him a cheeky grin and he left the group in search of Axel. Any decent bar tender would remember someone like him.

After a few failed attempts into the first few pubs he stopped in, he got a lucky break. The woman working the counter remembered him quite ‘fondly’ as she described it and pointed him to the west side. Apparently, the alien was a self proclaimed bounty hunter with many a riveting tale to tell. Sounded about right.

After stopping in a few more joints, Roxas finally caught a glimpse of that feathery hair, the deep umber horns and the unmistakable drunken enthusiasm he remembered from ANNEX. Only this time, he wasn’t alone. Standing next to him, equally impressive in height, was a tall, ashen skinned women with large speckled rabbit like ears. Her stoic and unenthused demeanor was very telling. It seemed like Axel had a knack for pissing people off.

On his right side, seemingly just as wasted, was a shorter man with champagne colored locks and a pair of more feline-eqsue appendages. He was dressed in quite the gaudy, expensive looking vest; ornate rings and jewelry adorning him. They were quite a sight to behold.

Without missing a beat, the horned male spotted Roxas and lips turned up into a sly, knowing smile. Setting his pint down, he stood on slightly unsteady legs and sauntered over to where the smaller blond stood in observation.

“Well Well Well. Look who it is.” He purred, moving quite inappropriately close. “Thought you might be back.”

With Axel towering over him like a hungry dragon, Roxas felt his heartbeat quicken, suddenly all too aware of how _nice_ the man smelled and how stupidly warm his body was. There was no way he was going to let a repeat of yesterday happen. He was taking control of this meeting.

“Sounds like you were a little desperate to see me. I thought you didn’t like humans.” Roxas retorted, standing his ground with a newfound confidence.

“Oh. You’re a lot feistier than yesterday. How could I not like that?” the redhead purred, moving a large, slightly clawed hand up Roxas’ hip.

Damn him. This stupid, bastard alien. The blond visibly shuddered before batting the hand away with a quick flick of his wrist. Hayner was absolutely right but he’d be damned if he got anywhere near this guys dick. Even if he really, _really_ wanted to.

“I need to talk to you. It’s important.” He insisted, doing his best to keep up his resolve.

“You won’t have much luck with him in this state.” The tall woman replied, causing the other blond haired man to chuckle.

“Fran’s right you know. If you want anything sensible out of Axel, you’ll have to pry that booze away from his cold, dead body.” Tail flicking mischievously, Balthier took another swig of his liquor. “You’re lucky it’s his last pint.”

Quite enthralled at seeing Axel’s instant displeasure at the intervention, he watched as the redhead waved his two companions off with an obscene gesture. “I know why you’re here. ‘S about the blackouts right?”

Bingo.

“Yes. What do you know about them?” he asked, voice probably a little too eager.

“Not good things.” Axel replied, sitting back down on the wooden chair. “I came here because I have a score to settle. And if my contacts are right, then you have an advanced war dreadnought sitting just outside your planet’s moon.”

Unable to respond, Roxas just stood there in disbelief. Why would anyone want to go to war with them? Their planet was already pathetic enough. They weren’t a threat to any advanced civilization. And wasn’t the galactic alliance at peace? Not that earth was part of it at all.

“You’re not serious.”

“You jumped into a trash compactor with me yesterday and you think I’m not serious?” Axel raised a brow.

“You seem...really fucking calm about it.” Roxas retorted, feeling anger start to boil in his gut.

Leaning forward in his seat, Axel clasped his hands together and sighed. “You’re lucky you’re hearing about this now. So listen up. Get your people bunkered down and secured or get off world. I don’t mind humans but this fleet is commanded by a man who’s bent on divine judgment.”

“How do you know all this?” Roxas hissed, moving forward, slamming his right palm into Axel’s shoulder with a surprising amount of force. And he wasn’t the only one shocked at the brute strength that seemed to come out of nowhere. The redhead winced, green eyes wide and confused. After a brief moment, he regained his composure and shoved Roxas back, almost knocking the human down to the wooden bar floor.

“Because I’m here to deliver my own brand of judgment.” he growled, grabbing his beer, downing the last of the frothy liquid. Slamming his mug back onto the counter, he stood and exhaled sharply through his nose. “Look, Fuzzy. I wish I could do more. I didn’t realize I was walking into a potential world altering disaster. Keep your friends safe and when I get off world again, I’ll try and talk to the council. They won’t stand idly by while this psychotic seeker levels planets because he deems them unworthy.” he replied, expression pained.

Roxas was opening and closing his mouth like a dying fish, unable to process what was happening. No one was going to help them. Everything he was fighting for… it was for nothing. His throat began to swell and his eyes began to sting as he backed away from redhead. He wanted to be angry at Axel. But how could he? Even though he’d known what could he really have done? Even if he tried to warn the Capitol it wouldn’t have done any good. They wouldn’t listen to an Alien.

The larger man hung his head a bit, expression somber. “I’m sorry, Roxas.” he repeated, green eyes downcast.

Shaking his head, Roxas turned and ducked out of the bar, body on auto pilot as he ran towards the gates. Everyone was going to die. He was going to have to watch them take their last breaths. He was going to see them bleed and cry and suffer. And he was helpless.

He was only human.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the major plot begins. I know the akuroku is slow rn but bear with me for the next few chapters. We're getting to some fun bits I swear. <3


	5. Wayward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roxas goes searching for some answers and redheded aliens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! So I've re-uploaded the chapter because it desperately needed some editing and a fresh pair of eyes. I'll be going back to other chapters and tweaking a few things but I feel like this edit deserves an entirely new upload <3
> 
> A big thank you to cameronclaire for being my beta <3 I truly appreciate it!

**Chapter 5**

Waking up with a heaving gasp in a puddle of icy sweat, Roxas gripped at his chest, fingers digging into the fabric of his shirt. He was in his bed in the compound. It was dark. And he had been dreaming. Shuddering, the blond ran his hand through damp hair as he slowly pushed himself up to a sitting position. Right. So what part had been the dream? Their recon group had gone to the Capitol and found nothing of value at the observatory. That much he knew was real.

As he steadied his breathing, he began to recall the events after they’d finished their recon mission. Hayner had definitely been teasing him about Axel’s hypothetical tentacle dick. But as the fog in his mind cleared, he realized he’d never actually left the group at all. In fact, he distinctly remembered thinking that even _if_ the redhead knew what was happening, he wouldn’t tell some ‘Hume’.

Regardless of the fact that he’d dreamt it, the entire interaction felt too real. Even more so than his dream the previous night about his mother. It was a relief that the world wasn’t coming to an end, but the uneasy feeling in his gut told him that there had to be a grain of truth hidden somewhere in the strange scenario his sleeping mind had concocted. And his gut was never wrong. Whether it was now or later, something unpleasant was going to happen.

He turned to grab his chip, checking the time. 2 am. Perfect. There was no way he was going back to sleep after that nightmare. So with a begrudging sigh, he pulled himself out of bed, slipping on his worn jeans and faded gray, winter coat.

As much as he didn’t want to trek all the way back to the Capitol on his own, he knew he had to find Axel. He had to know if this dream meant anything, even if the answer was one he dreaded. Curiosity was going to get him killed one day. Of that, he was absolutely sure.

Stepping out of the compound into the frigid, winter air, Roxas couldn’t help but admire the stars. Without the overbearing light of a city scape, their beauty cut through the veil of darkness, giving way to breathtaking speckles of constellations that sang of life beyond this planet. But it all existed beyond his reach. He could only imagine what worlds drifted outside their solar system.

Dragging his attention back to the task at hand, Roxas mounted his bike cruiser and started it up with a tap of his chip.

If Axel truly didn’t know anything, maybe the alien could humor him with some tales of his travels. Someone so flashy probably had some interesting ones to tell.

Kicking the hovering vehicle into gear, Roxas took off into the starlit night.

The journey took a little over an hour before he reached their small cruiser depot. The place never ratted them out for stashing their rides among the registered lots. Old man Boris didn’t much care to be involved in the happenings of the rebels or their counterparts. But as long as he made his money, the old miser looked the other way. Morals aside, Roxas knew they couldn’t afford to be picky with their allies at this point. However, it certainly stung when people refused to make a stand.

From the rickety complex, he made the rest of the journey on foot.

With the snow piling up and the hour late as it was, Roxas had no plans to try and trek back in the next 24 hours. That would give him plenty of time to find Axel, get some sort of closure, and pass out in a cheap inn in the bar district. Upon entering the east tunnel, he paid the sentry off and wandered over the treated water and through the opening in the large, ground level, sewage pipe. Thankfully, it wasn’t a nightmare, sludge passage. Roxas wasn’t sure he’d be able to stomach much more after his dip into ANNEX’s garbage compactor. After a good 100 meters, he stepped onto the streets of the pub district. Instantly, he could feel the warmth of the heating units littered throughout the street.

The tech brought the temperature up to a balmy, almost mild, warmth, and Roxas found himself promptly removing his scarf and lowering his hood. His crew was lucky if their old heating model lasted a week without shitting out. He had half a mind to download some schematics to see what made these tick, but that was an easy tip-off to city security that an unauthorized, outsider was bumming around. If he was still motivated by the time he was leaving, maybe he’d consider it.

But he had his priorities. And if his strange, lucid dream had any ties to reality, he knew a good place to start was The Oasis, the shitty joint that dream Axel had dropped the ominous news in.

Of course when he got there, much to his relief, his alien acquaintance was nowhere to be seen. But  that didn’t stop him from making himself comfortable and ordering a drink. Maybe the hard liquor would help get him to bed, nightmare free.

“What’ll it be, sweet thing?” the woman at the bar asked, tucking curly dark hair behind her ear as she came forward, wiping clean a shot glass.

“Anything with tequila. Dealer’s choice. Make it cheap,” he replied, pulling out his hand beaded wallet, pushing a few paper bills forward.

“Pretty pouch you’ve got there. You’re one of the Old Tribes?” she cocked her brow as she took the money, turning to the shelf behind her to get to work.

“Barely. Do we even count nowadays?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders.

“Fair point. Even a strong blooded Native can barely make heads or tails of their pedigree these days. Where are you from then? Obviously a mutt like me.”

“The Great Lakes. But I barely saw much of it before everything went to hell. Everyone came for the fresh water and we had to run.” While it was rare to find another Native, Roxas still felt such a disconnect. Like he didn’t have a right to be talking as if he knew anything at all about his heritage.

His mother, pale as a ghost, was definitely European or something. She was strangely secretive. Five-year-old Roxas always had a feeling that maybe she was some sort of international spy. And his father? Well, after their mother died, he couldn’t be bothered to have anything to do with Roxas or Ventus. He drank himself into a stupor every night and eventually, Ven took up the mantel of caretaker. They were 7 when they left home; if one could even call it that. Just a hovel with canned food and booze everywhere. It was hard to believe that their mother had fallen for someone like that.

These were memories he didn’t enjoy revisiting. And it was why he didn’t want to think of his father’s blood. Apart from a few anecdotes and sacred stories, the man hadn’t done much in the way of educating him on their culture. He never got the chance.

“Ah. I’ve heard it’s beautiful up there. Especially when the leaves change. I’m from South Desert. Haven’t been back in ages. It’s too hot and too dry these days for half the critters that used to live there. I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s a complete wasteland at this point,” the women mused, pushing a drink towards Roxas.

“Thanks… If you don’t mind me asking, do you serve off-worlders here?” He had to start somewhere.

“Aliens? Yeah a few. At least the ones that can stomach human booze,” she replied, busying herself with knitting what looked like a scarf of some sort. He couldn’t blame her. This wasn’t the clubbing or red light district. Not much business to be had at 3:30 in the morning.

“Any of them tall, horned and redheaded?” he asked, taking a long swig of the beverage she’d mixed together. It was pretty good for what he paid, thankfully.

“Hah! You lookin’ for Axel, then? He’s constantly here pestering me. Ever since he came to the Capitol, it’s like clockwork with that man.”

Roxas wondered if the guy had some highly evolved liver or something. If he even had a liver. Still, the fact that the bartender knew exactly who he was talking about made his insides twist up in discomfort. It wasn’t proof of anything, but it was an awfully gross coincidence.

“Unfortunately, I owe him,” he muttered, tired voice laced with bitterness.

“Funny. He owes me. Lost some expensive gin and whiskey with him stumbling around like a wasted antelope.” The woman snorted. “Call me Isabella. And if you find the bastard, send him my way. He can pay your favor forward.” She smirked, leaning back against the base of the shelves.

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Roxas replied, tucking his wallet away. “You have any idea where I might look for him?”

“Well, he’s got a ship parked near the trash yard. Apparently, it’s been having engine problems.” She shrugged.

“Right. Thank you...” He stood, grabbing his coat before reluctantly looking back at the bartender. It wasn’t wise to be giving out his name, but he had a good feeling about her. “Roxas.”

“Hmm?” Isabella looked up, cocking a thick, dark brow.

“My name. It’s Roxas.”

“Ah. Well, Roxas, when I see Axel next, I’ll make sure he cashes in his dues.” She winked and settled back into her craft.

 

With his shabby coat zipped up to the neck, Roxas donned his hood and turned westward, heading towards the district dump. He supposed it made sense that an alien would want to be in a place that humans weren’t. Especially if said alien had a habit of causing a cacophony wherever he went.

Thankfully, there a few different stragglers out and about wandering the otherwise silent streets. It made Roxas’ presence much less suspicious. Still, he made an effort to keep his face concealed. The Capitol loved its surveillance and made a specific effort to decorate the poorer, outer rings of the city with cameras and recording devices.

Fortunately, the group had infiltrated the capitol enough to know where most of the incriminating tech was hiding. Roxas had a fond memory of Hayner dropping his pants on their way out of the city a few years back. He was sure one of the poor scrubs who had to skim through the footage got a kick out of that.

Nose crinkling, the blond was snapped out of his own brain as he approached the dump. The rank stench of garbage and improperly handled waste certainly was off putting. And if Axel wanted privacy, the gag-inducing odor definitely ensured he’d have it. And sure enough, when Roxas crossed through the rusted arch of the chain link fence, illuminated in the dimly lit lot, he found a large, silver and gold, military grade spacecraft.

For a moment, Roxas was awestruck. With sparkling eyes, he drank up the sight as he approached the ship. No earthly cruiser could match up to this. The idea of being able to break through the atmosphere in a matter of minutes with precision and control sent shivers up his spine. This majestic beast of a technological marvel had been to places he could only dream of, places beyond this system, no doubt.

Running his fingers over the cool, surprisingly soft metal, Roxas felt himself sigh, envy pooling in his stomach. As much as he loved Earth, nothing was more appealing at this moment than running away to the stars.

“She’s impressive, isn’t she?”

Skin prickling in surprise, Roxas pulled his hand away and laughed quietly, turning to face the owner of that cocky bravado.

“For a simple Hume? Of course it is,” Roxas mocked, crossing his arms over his chest, trying to hide the fact that he was happy to see the redhead again.

Axel sniggered and shook his head. “I think I gave you the wrong impression the other day.  _You_ , my friend, are hardly simple.”

“Just the rest of my species.”

“Nuances.” Axel shrugged before wiping what looked like a spatter of engine fuel off of his forehead. Without his protective body suit, Roxas was finally able to get a decent look at him. Although he was humanoid, the slightly clawed hands and patches of feathering on his hairline and underarms gave him away. And now that he was relatively more sober than when last they met, Roxas could make out more distinctive markings on Axel’s face and neck that lead down into a long, muscular torso. Roxas must have been obvious about his assessment because the taller male clucked his tongue and squatted down to an insulting level.

“Not that I don’t enjoy you undressing me with your eyes and I'm happy to return the favor. But I assume that’s not why you came?” He chided, a shit-eating grin plastered across his stupid, alien face.

Roxas huffed and brought a hand to his face, rubbing at his temples.

“You don’t need to bend down to talk to me. You’re not  _that_ tall.”

“I’m taller than you.”

 “Not exactly an amazing feat. You’re really fishing.”

Axel laughed and straightened up. “Fishing?”

 “I don’t have time to explain it.” Roxas sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “Our satellites went down earlier and there’s some sort of anomaly just outside of orbit that caused it.”

Axel’s playful demeanor faded a bit at the obvious insinuation that, as a foreigner, he was somehow involved. “And, what, you want to know what I know?” he finished in a matter of fact tone. “Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t know what to tell you. There’s plenty of malfunctioning tech sent into this corner of space. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a piece of mining junk from the asteroid belt causing interference. That shit is dangerous when it goes wrong, and the industry isn’t regulated as well as the Council Alliance likes to believe it is.”

Although Axel’s lackluster response was comforting, Roxas didn’t know how much he could trust the guy. He wanted to. Even if only just to indulge his curious and horny fantasy. But the unrelenting unease his nightmare left him wouldn’t allow him to give in so easily.

Still, for now, he could at least give Axel the benefit of the doubt while he continued to dig.

“You sure?” Roxas asked, looking up with an unconvinced pucker of his lips.

“No. But that’s really all I’ve got.” Axel shrugged, kicking at some of the grimy snow beneath his boot. “So. Since we’ve gotten this interrogation out of the way, join me for a drink?”

Roxas scoffed, lips turning up into a wry grin. “No offense, but last time I drank with you, we ended up running for our lives.”

“Point taken. But I assume you didn’t come all the way here just to ask me if I was conspiring against you?”

“If drinks are off the table, there’s really not much else we can do in the slums.” Roxas replied. He was kind of hoping Axel would be able to persuade him to stay, but he had his pride. He wasn’t going to run head first into some sleazy alien’s arms like a lonely puppy.

“Oh I disagree. Come on, I’ll show you a good time.” Axel winked, scooping up a jacket that was messily draped over an overturned oil drum.

While Roxas suspected that this wasn’t actually a proposition, his curiosity had been piqued and he found himself walking alongside Axel into the dimly lit streets.

  


Making a left and two rights, the pair ended up at one of the walls leading out into the wintry wasteland. It was clear someone had engineered a makeshift door through the corroding metal. The passage was crudely hinged and at a strange angle. Surprisingly, Axel managed to shimmy through, motions less jarring and clumsy than any Roxas had previously witnessed. Apparently, sober Axel had some poise and finesse. Intriguing.

Managing to wriggle through the odd door, Roxas continued behind Axel through the hollowed out steel tunnel. Whoever had Macgyvered this passage through the city wall was either a genius or an idiot depending on if they'd gotten caught. An operation of this size would have drawn a lot of attention. It was probably used to smuggle water in from the river for treatment.

“You’re taking me to the Potomac?” he asked, unable to hide the unimpressed tone in his voice.

“You know, sometimes immersing yourself in _the journey_ makes getting to the destination a lot more satisfying,” Axel quipped, stepping out onto the thick, river ice.

Roxas followed suit, ducking out of the secret tunnel and into the tundra.

“Sorry. Old habits die hard. Fighting for a better life can make a guy grumpy.” Roxas mumbled, stumbling a bit as the soles of his boots lost traction on the ice.

“Well, you’re not fighting right now.”

An argumentative reply caught in his throat and suddenly died there upon arrival. Roxas swallowed his words and briskly shuffled up beside his redheaded companion.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’m not really-”

“Used to trusting people? It’s fine, Fuzzy. Trust is overrated.” Axel draped an arm over Roxas’ shivering form. “And you’re cold. I’d be grumpy too.” He teased, causing the blond to turn red in the ears.

“Yeah. Yeah. Come on. My toes are going numb.” Roxas laughed, allowing himself to lean into his companion's heat. With a body temperature like his, it was clear why Axel had no reservations stepping out into the insta-freeze or wandering around with a tank top while he tinkered on his ship.

“Don’t worry. I don’t plan on keeping you out here for long.”

“I hope not. I’m not a living furnace like you.” Roxas teased, yelping a bit as he slipped, gripping onto Axel’s arm in a pathetic attempt to keep himself upright. It seemed like the taller man didn’t expect him to have such a strong grip, and after a silly waltz, Roxas had ended up on his ass with Axel gripping his side in laughter.

Thankfully, Axel made good on his promise, and further down the river bank, they arrived at a small observation tower on the bones of the old Ferris wheel grounds. Half of the structure was still sticking out from the frozen water. It was eerie, but in the light of the moon and stars, there was a peaceful, ethereal aura surrounding the tiny peninsula.

The interior of the unit had functioning electricity, space heaters in every corner with some musty blankets strewn about. Initially, Axel seemed to have some trouble getting himself through the small hatch up into the stilted dome. Once inside, however, he made good use of the space, fitting himself comfortably next to Roxas.

“Okay. I have to admit. The destination is pretty satisfying.” He hummed, warming his icy fingers over the nearest heating unit. He had a feeling he wouldn’t mind getting cozy in here.

“Nice and toasty, isn’t it?” he purred, removing his jacket and lazily dropping it over the blond’s head. This earned a noise of protest from Roxas but ultimately, it provided more warmth, and he begrudgingly secured it around his shoulders.

“So. In the spirit of diplomacy, how about we play a game? You Hume’s call it… twenty questions?”

Roxas ran a tongue over frozen, chapped lips.

“I feel like I’m at a sleep over.” He laughed, stomach doing somersaults as he felt the alien press deliberately closer to him. “Alright. Do you want to do the honors?”

“Does that count as one of your questions?”

“Jesus. Fine.” Roxas frowned. “Ah… So what’s your home planet called?”

“Dalmasca. It’s a bit smaller than here, and the climate’s less diverse. But the sunsets! I miss them the most. It’s strange here with your one moon. A little dull,” Axel replied with a flippant wave of his hand.

“Bet you haven’t seen one over the Great Lakes,” Roxas contested, finally able to feel his toes in his boots again.

“Great Lakes? I’ve heard them mentioned a few times. Seems like a coveted area.”

Finding it difficult not to deflate with nostalgia, Roxas nodded, quietly contemplating how to describe them  without making himself homesick.

“They’re the largest group of natural freshwater lakes on Earth. I grew up there,” he replied, drawing his knees to his chest.

“Impressive. Dalmasca is mostly desert. Single ocean and a few forests here and there,” Axel replied, seeming to sense that the topic was rather uncomfortable for his current company.

“Yeah. I miss it,” Roxas replied rather dumbly. “So. How many other worlds have you been to? You seem to well traveled.”

“That’s actually a good question. Are we counting fuel stops or extended stays?”

“Extended stays, obviously.” The blond cracked a smile, attempting to turn himself to actually face Axel. As flustered as he was whenever they actually made eye contact, it was far more awkward to talk facing out a window.

“Fair. Probably at least a hundred.”

“Probably?”

“Honestly, I’ve lost count.”

“How do you lose count of the planets you’ve been to?!” Roxas laughed in disbelief.

“You can’t ask two questions in a row!” Axel scolded, playfully nudging his boot against Roxas’.

“I’m sorry. I just find that to be a bit of a cop out.”

“Not my fault you wasted a question. You know, for this being a human game, you’re not very good at it.” Nearly getting a swat from Roxas, he managed to catch the human’s wrist in lucky interception. “How’s it like to live life with five fingers?”

“I don’t know. How’s it like to live life with four?” Roxas smirked, deflecting right back at the cheeky bastard.

A wicked grin crept its way onto Axel’s face and with a calculated slowness, he traced his four, slightly clawed finger tips down Roxas’ hip.

“It’s quite phenomenal. I’ve been told my hands work some impressive magic,” he purred, bringing his palm to a rest rather intimately on his companion’s thigh. Roxas audibly sighed, mentally kicking himself as he did so. This game seemed like it was heading in a single direction, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to draw it out.

“I see.” Roxas grumbled, attempting to steady his palpating heart, waiting for Axel to ask his next question.

“You seem to have a thing for off-world commodities. What about Alien men?” Axel murmured, hot breath tickling at Roxas’ neck, causing that familiar, electrical sensation to dance over his body. He bit down slightly on his lower lip, swallowing a moan that was threatening to escape. This seemed to provoke Axel further, a hot, calloused hand weaving its way into golden locks of hair.

“You into this sort of thing?” he purred.

The question pulled Roxas out of his temporary, aroused stupor, and he let out a tiny laugh.

“That’s two questions in a row,” he smirked, eyes deadlocked with vibrant green.

Seemingly unable to control himself anymore, Axel moved in and ran a surprisingly velvety tongue up and over the vein pulsing in Roxas’ neck. He hadn’t been sure what he was expecting. Maybe a sand-papery texture? Or perhaps something a little more slimy. But one thing was for sure; he was _definitely_ into this. It sent shivers down his spine, and he slowly arched upward, unable to hide his arousal.

“I’m waiting.” Came the sing-song retort followed by feather soft lips, dusting tiny kisses up his neck to the delicate underside of his jaw. Roxas swore under his breath, moving his free hand up to grip at the fabric of Axel’s sweaty, dirt covered shirt.

“I-Impatient, aren’t we?” he jabbed, wincing as the alien pointedly grazed his fangs over sensitive skin. “Favorite color...What is it?”

“Yellow.” Axel was practically purring like a large cat. Not something Roxas was used to but the vibrations were comforting, in a way. He couldn’t help but wonder exactly what, on the redhead’s planet, his people had evolved from. It was a more complex inquiry than he was presently able to articulate with the tent currently forming in his jeans.

Axel seemed to notice, taking full advantage by rolling his hips forward, creating a delicious friction between their pelvises. And from what Roxas could feel, there was certainly no tentacle between the other’s thighs.

"And yours?"

"B-Blue. Fuck!” he managed to gasp out, fingernails digging into the broader man’s chest.

“I believe it’s your turn again, love,” Axel muttered, green eyes glazed over in clouded arousal as he bucked his hips forward again. This time Roxas was prepared. He met Axel’s pelvis with his own, taking great pleasure in the way the horned man bit down on his lower lip, unable to stop the quiet hiss of satisfaction.

“Do you get off… thinking about me?” Roxas pushed forward, finally twisting his wrist out of Axel’s grasp. Taking the advantage, he was able to press the alien’s back against the wooden grain of the observation unit’s floor, using all of his weight to mount himself proudly onto Axel’s lap. With his new found seat of power, he ground forward, slowly rocking himself back and forth against his larger partner’s erection.

From what he was feeling, Axel certainly had a size advantage in all senses of the word. It had his mouth watering as he continued to elicit soft, low moans from the redhead each time their hips met.

“I...Think my cock can speak on my behalf...” Axel chuckled, claws reaching around to cup at Roxas’ backside, guiding him down with each, delightful thrust.

This had truly been the last thing Roxas thought he’d be doing tonight. Dry humping a lewd, sarcastic alien in an outdated star gazing hut was not something most people had on their bucket list. But for once in a long time, he was actually having fun. He didn’t have to think about surviving because right now, he was doing more than that. And who said sex wasn’t therapeutic?

“Guess you’re a Xenophile then,” Roxas snickered, arching his spine at a particularly pleasurable thrust.

“Then what does that make you, Mr. Human?”

“I guess… that makes me a Xenophile too,” Roxas purred, finally allowing himself to let go. He bent forward, pressing his lips against Axel’s with a newfound confidence. The kiss was slow and open mouthed, tongues squeezing and rolling together with an intense curiosity. Roxas felt like his very breath was being pulled out of his lungs from the bruising force.

It was push and pull, teeth clicking together as they tasted each other, neither of them relinquishing control. Roxas whimpered into the redhead’s mouth, fists now full of feathery red locks as he locked this into his memory. Axel was warm and his taste was distinct with a smoky musk he knew he’d never be able to forget. He could feel a cheeky grin working its way onto those lips, larger tongue tracing small, fiery circles against his own.

Unfortunately, he had to breathe. Roxas broke the kiss, breath heavy and throat dry as he stared down into those alluring, beautiful eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat, about to speak when the shrill, chirping of his chip caused them both to jolt in surprise.

“That thing is terrible,” Axel growled, his grip on Roxas’ ass tightening in annoyance at the untimely interruption.

“S-Sorry,” Roxas muttered, promptly answering the call. He probably looked suspicious with his face red and his hair a complete mess. But since it was a vid call, it must have been important. Good thing the device only had standard camera view. “Roxas here.” he acknowledged, trying to steady his voice, albeit unsuccessfully.

“ _It’s Yuffie. Olette found something on her scans. We need you in the briefing room_ _._ ”

“I’m at the Capitol,” Roxas admitted reluctantly, shifting himself on Axel’s lap, causing the redhead to groan in frustration.

“ _What? Why? Ugh. Doesn’t matter. Get back here. It’s important. Do you need a pick up?_ ”

“No! Ah... No. No, I have my bike! I’m getting ready to head back now. Over,” he quickly ended the call.

Drumming his claws impatiently against the wood, Axel glowered.

“Your friends have terrible timing.”

“Are you pouting?” Roxas laughed, pushing himself off of Axel’s chest. Although he wasn’t keen on it, the cold weather would have him shriveling up in no time. He zipped up his coat, pulling his hood up and over his tousled locks.

“Thanks for the good time. Maybe we can pick it up later.” He turned, offering the redhead an apologetic glance.

“Maybe.” Axel replied, clearly still sore about having their fun cut short. He’d get over it.

Once down the hatch and back into the icy winter wonderland, Roxas steadied himself, mentally preparing for the journey back to the compound. As nice as this had been, he was still wary of Axel. There was something he wasn’t being honest about. As much as he _wanted_ to, Roxas couldn’t suppress the slowly growing doubt in his mind. Something was coming. And he just hoped it wouldn’t force him to turn on his interesting, new acquaintance.


	6. Note About Updates!

Heyo! Sorry for the long unintended Hiatus!! I was really sick on and off and then I had to leave for my trip to Europe. I'm actually in Berlin as I type this out, flying home tomorrow. But now that I have no major pressing commitments, I can get back to doing my art and writing in my spare time again!

 

I'm going to ATTEMPT to keep this to a monthly upload schedule. Around the first of every month. However, life happens and if something ends up delaying work, I'll try to communicate it. 

 

Expect the next chapter up within the week!! I'll delete this note once I've got it ready to go. Thanks for the patience guys ♡

-Lemon

 

 

 

 


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